The Answer A Question With A Question Game
by Tayk
Summary: In an attempt to help Chiriko become a better politician, Hotohori plays a rather strange game with him... Loosely based off of Acropolis Now, season one episode five, Sheep. Oneshot. Alternate title, Bong!


_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own __Fushigi__ Yuugi__**  
**_

**The Answer-A-Question-With-A-Question Game**

The governors did like to go on, didn't they? Hotohori supposed it was just as well that he had mastered the art of looking interested, when in fact his mind was completely elsewhere.

Right now, as his advisers talked about the growing food crisis (which didn't exist, the young emperor knew, and was only to give them something else to talk about), Hotohori was thinking about his youngest seishi brother. Chiriko wanted to be a politician, Hotohori knew – and he would be much better at it than these jabbering morons, if he had anything to say about it. There was a game that his mother had taught him, to teach him to phrase things carefully. Perhaps if he played it with Chiriko…

Yes, that was a good idea. He would play that game with Chiriko, as soon as this meeting was over.

Unfortunately, that might be hours from now.

Hotohori decided to expedite things.

"I shall look into these matters as soon as I can," Hotohori cut in smoothly, stopping the man from completing his spiel. "Are there any other matters of urgency to discuss?"

"Yes, Your Majesty – there is the question of finding you a wife…" Suzaku, they were so persistent!

"It is being solved," Hotohori lied firmly. No one dared to question him; that was the Emperor's Patented Don't-Question-Me-I'm-So-Much-More-Awesome-Than-You Tone. "Anything else?"

"No, Your Highness," mumbled the advisers.

"You may go," Hotohori said. He waited until they had all filed out before hopping to his feet and walking out as well. He stopped briefly at his rooms to retrieve a small gong and mallet, and then set a course for the library. It was the one place Chiriko was sure to be.

---

Chiriko was beaming. He had had contact with Hotohori in the past (he was a seishi, after all), but the imperial duties had been pressing enough that there had been little time to get to know him. Now, though, Hotohori had initiated a conversation with him – and just him; there were no other seishi or palace personal around!

"I thought we might play a game," Hotohori explained, taking a seat across from him. He set the gong and its stand so that it was off to one side, and the mallet in the center of the table. Chiriko examined it curiously. "It's a game that will help you learn to phrase things carefully. When I ask you a question, I want you to answer with a question. When you ask a question, I'll answer with a question. If you answer with a statement, I'll hit the gong. If I answer with a question, you hit the gong. It's easy enough."

"Yes, sir," Chiriko said. Would it be proper to lose on purpose? After all, his opponent was the emperor. But, no, Hotohori had said it would help teach him. So he would play his best.

"Are you ready to begin?" Hotohori asked.

"Yes, sir, I am," Chiriko said. Hotohori picked up the mallet and gently hit the gong.

_Bong!_

"That was a question," the emperor said. Chiriko blushed when he realized his mistake and Hotohori smiled. "Why don't you start?"

This time, Chiriko thought for a moment. "Why should I start?"

"Don't you want to?"

"Don't you think it's a bit late to be asking that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we've started already."

_Bong!_

"You're getting better," Hotohori smiled. "Let's play again."

---

Two hours later, Chiriko was getting slightly frustrated that he couldn't get the hang of this game. Hotohori had won every round. The said victor, on the other hand, was delighted that Chiriko was trying so hard. It was making him think. That was a challenge for the young genius, who was able to blurt facts almost non-stop, and who was ill-used to asking questions. What's more, Hotohori had found that he was capable of a wide range of topics and opinions. Quite a change from all the other palace officials.

"I think that's enough for today," Hotohori said. "We can play again tomorrow, if you like."

"I'd like to, sir," Chiriko agreed. The two stood. Hotohori took the gong and mallet, and they went their separate ways.

---

Chichiri liked fishing. He liked fishing a lot. One of the reasons he liked fishing was that no one else did. The pond was always quiet. Not that Chichiri didn't love his seishi-brothers, mind, it's just that they were so loud… It was good to be alone for a while.

But Chichiri was surprised to find that he was not alone at the pond this time. Chiriko was there as well, sitting on a rock, looking crestfallen. Chichiri had a great deal of brotherly instinct, almost a maternal instinct, when it came to his brothers and miko, and to the youngest of them especially. He immediately went and sat beside Chiriko.

"What's wrong, Chiriko, no da?" Chichiri asked. Chiriko seemed to brighten just a bit at his words.

"Do you want to hear about it?"

"Sure," Chichiri said. Instantly, Chiriko sat up straighter and looked immensely proud of himself. His sadness was gone completely, and he was beaming.

"_Bong_," crooned the young genius. He hopped to his feet and cheerfully skipped off, leaving a very confused monk behind him.


End file.
